Hi,
Three of my friends and I are travelling to DC in May. We want to find a safe and clean place to sleep. It does not have to be directly in DC but it does need to be either very near a metro or provide a shuttle to the metro or area attractions. We would like to pay $100 or less per night if possible. Any suggestions?

Your price point is going to be very hard, especially in May. You can try the Hotel Harrington, but it will be more than $100. There's a Days Inn in Arlington on Columbia Pike that is on a busy bus line to the Metro. Also, be careful about weekends since graduations will mean many hotels will be unavailable.

Try Expedia or Travelocity to see what is available in your price range. If you can't find anything, there is always Priceline. The middle of May is problematic as there are a lot of graduations going on.

Priceline won;t work for 4 people - all they guarantee is one double bed for 2 - unless people want to sleep on the floor and in the tub with no linens or towels.

We've stayed at Best Western in Rockville in a pinch. They had shuttle to metro, I think it was about a 30 min metro trip however, it's not real close to DC. Sleep Inn in Rockville is another good safe choice on a budget.

try www.hotwire.com and you can put 4 adults in request. We got teh embassy suites once.. give it a try.

Try the Holiday Inn Express on NY Avenue. They shuttle you over to the Union Station metro stop 2 miles away. Two years old, good value, free hot breakfast buffet, large rooms.

I looked at the www.hiexpress.com and saw there is one on Bladensburg Rd in NE DC right off NY Ave NE. Crappy location.

If you want stay right in the downtown in a good neighborhood, check out the Taft's Bridge Inn. The rates might be a tad over $100 a night, but the location is good, and it's an old mansion that's been turned into a b&b. We stayed there a few years ago. Not a 4* luxury hotel, but not bad for the price & location.
http://www.taftbridgeinn.com/

Downtown is a particular area in DC, not a generic term for the whole. The Taft's Bridge Inn is not downtown but "in the fashionable Kalorama District."

vj, I stand corrected. What I mean to say is that the location is in DC proper as opposed to outlying areas.

I'd say that HOliday Inn Express on NY Ave. and Bladensburg should be your last option. OTOH, given your budget it may be your only real choice.

I would not stay at the Holiday Inn Express on NY Ave - not the safest location.

I believe the OP said $100 per night or less. As you all know, that is quite cheap for DC. I never felt unsafe at the Holiday Inn Express. The shuttle was door-to-door from the Metro. I was assuming that the OP & his/her friends were interested in sightseeing not walking around the area in the middle of the night.

Hi~

I would have to agree with DivineMissM that Rockville, MD is a good choice; there are many hotels and motels to choose from. Nearby areas include Gaithersburg (also near the Metro). Bethesda MD is nice, but pricier.

Arlington/Crystal City/Alexandria on the Virginia side might work for you. Depending on dates, I just found the Hyatt Regency Crystal City for between 100 - 150 a night in mid-May for 4 people.

I woudln't stay in any hotel on NY Ave east of maybe 3rd St NW nor anything labelled Bladensburg. NY Ave NE (meaning east of N Capitol) is a bad area with a lot of violence and crime.

They could use Priceline and get two rooms. At that price, they could look into the hostel. You could get a room around $100 at Comfort Inn or Best Western in Shirlington area (they will be called Reagan Airport hotel). They will have free shuttles to the airport, and there is a metro stop there, although this sounds time-consuming. Actually, four people sharing a cab won't be that expensive from there. There are lots of good restaurants in Shirlington Village, although I don't know how close that is to those hotels.

Id also try Days Inn Connecticut Ave. Stayed tehre last year and had no issues at a great rate in June. 10 min walk to the Metro (at a slow pace)

Thanks to all especially those who suggested hotwire. I found a great hotel in my price range.